Peter Llewellyn

8
Annotations

David Llewellyn was the underkeeper of the Privy Lodgings at Windsor. In February 1660 his son Peter (1636-65), the Diary’s “Luellin,” became an underclerk of the Council of State, joining Simons, Hawley, and Pepys’s other work colleagues. Up to the present (as of 13 March 1659/60), he has figured as one of Samuel’s familiars; together or in consort with other clerks, they drank at Marsh’s or other Whitehall-area taverns. Most memorably, it was with him that, on Saturday 28 January 1659/60, Pepys “went to Heaven, where Luellin and I dined on a breast of mutton all alone, discoursing of the changes that we have seen and the happiness of them that have estates of their own.” [For Heaven, see “Places > Taverns.”] “Luellin” was three years Pepys’s junior, and one senses Samuel regarded him as a friend who did not require “Mister” before his name. He served in Ireland with Anglesey, then became clerk to the timber merchant Edward Dering; and died unmarried, of the Plague. A brother, David, apparently headed to Constantinople in 1660, and was still in foreign parts when Peter made his will. (Facts and a few phrases garnered from the Companion, p. 234, as well as various annotations, esp. one by Glyn, who surmises from his surname, doubt rightly, that Llewellyn was Welsh.)

The "aspirated L" is a phoneme exclusive to Welsh and in modern usage is written "LL" as in "Llewelyn". Peter Luellin was probably anglicised and may well have pronounced his name the way Pepys wrote it. "Llewelyn" appears in Shakespeare's Henry V, where it is spelt "Fluellen", but this is clearly an attempt to transliterate the Welsh "LL" and should definitely not be pronounced "F".

Maybe not Welsh after all, from Nich: Culpeper:Fluellin, or Lluellin Descript : It shoots forth many long branches partly lying upon the ground, and partly standing upright, set with almost red leaves, yet a little pointed,.......This herb is of a fine cooling, drying quality, and an ointment or plaister of it might do a man a courtesy that hath any hot virulent sores. 'Tis admirable for the ulcers of the French pox; if taken inwardly, may cure the desease.

more on the herb: Place : They grow in divers corn fields, and in borders about them, and in other fertile grounds about Southfleet in Kent abundantly; at Buchrite, Hamerton, and Rickmanworth in Huntingdonshire, and in divers other places.Time : They are in flower about June and July, and the whole plant is dry and withered before August be done.see above for URL: